Determination of Trace Elements in Human Tissue. I. Cd, Fe, Zn, Mg, and Ca

Abstract

Human tissues obtained at autopsy were analyzed for Cd, Fe, Zn, Mg, and Ca using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The tissues analyzed included thoracic aorta collected from 46 subjects ranging in age from 1 to 91 years and lung, myocardium, and spleen collected from each of 26 additional subjects ranging in age from 5 months gestation to 78 years. The category of diseases included atherosclerotic heart disease (ASHD), malignancy (CA), and a miscellaneous group. The levels of the above elements are tabulated for the tissues indicated.